Opening his plenary message on the evening of July 20 at the 10th Chinese Congress on World Evangelization (CCOWE), Rev. Edmund Chan (曾金發), founder of the Global Alliance of Intentional Disciple Making Churches and leadership mentor, launched his address with a call to "return to the foundations of our faith." He noted that while the Church today faces an era filled with intense challenges and immense opportunities, what ultimately determines its future is not how fast ministries expand, but how deeply disciples are rooted.

"The church is not a cruise ship; the church is a battleship," Chan stated. "In the face of a spiritual battle, we must keep our focus aligned. Our focus is on God, His Kingdom, His calling, and the Great Commission—to go and make disciples of all nations. But to do so, our faith foundation must be correct."

The Mission Must Be Anchored in the Mandate

Throughout his message, Chan repeatedly emphasized a core thesis: "Mandate precedes Mission." He explained that "Mission" represents evangelism, ministry, and active service, whereas "Mandate" refers to a believer's inner life—walking with God, abiding in Christ, and yielding to spiritual formation. "Mission is certainly vital, but the mission must be cradled by the mandate."

He observed that while many churches today strive earnestly to fulfill the Great Commission, they easily fall into the trap of focusing on external outputs while neglecting the essence of spiritual life. Authentic discipleship, however, does not originate in service but in life; it does not move from the outside in, but from the inside out.

"If you study the disqualification of leaders, you will find the root cause is internal compromise. The greatest battle is not outside; the greatest battle is within us. Therefore, pivoting from outside-in to inside-out discipleship is a critical shift necessary to fulfill the Great Commission entrusted to us by Jesus."

God Does Not Ask First: 'How Much Have You Done for Me?'

Citing the story of God choosing David in 1 Samuel 16, Chan reminded the audience: "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." He pointed out that contemporary churches tend to measure success by activity, tangible results, influence, or church size, whereas God prioritizes the condition of the human heart.

"The real question is not: 'Can I do more for God?' The real question is: 'Am I willing to walk deeper with God?'" he said. He challenged church leaders to transition from "Platform" to "Pathway."

"A platform is a place of influence and service. But we must learn to step out from the spotlights of the platform and walk along the pathway of discipleship—walking with Jesus and walking with God. The platform brings influence, but the pathway determines integrity. God cares not merely about how we lead, but how we live."

Personal Reflection: 'God Broke Me Before He Built Me'

Illustrating the primacy of spiritual depth, Chan shared a personal experience from his tenure as Senior Pastor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church in Singapore. Every October, he would retreat alone to a mountain for a month to seek God. During his first retreat, he prayed: "Lord, I will not go down this mountain until I meet You." Expecting God to bestow power and anointing, he was surprised when God first exposed his pride, self-righteousness, and hidden sins.

"Through Jeremiah chapter 10, God brought 20 specific sins to my light. I repented item by item until I finally cried out, 'Lord, stop, my heart cannot take any more,'" he recounted. That experience taught him that a leader's true dependency lies not in competence, but in Christ's grace. The depth of one's spiritual foundation far outweighs the height of one's ministry platforms.

A Global Crisis: Losing the Authority of God's Word

Addressing a crisis common to the global Body of Christ, Chan pointed out that churches across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the West face the same peril—gradually drifting from the authority of God's Word. He reminded the audience that biblical knowledge alone does not transform lives; obedience to God's Word does.

"Truth does not transform lives; applied truth transforms lives. These are the words of Jesus. He said: Everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice—applying them—is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Practice, do, and apply. When believers repeatedly choose their own thoughts over God's Word, worldly values eventually displace divine truth. The human heart becomes akin to running two operating systems simultaneously, resulting in spiritual confusion."

'Do You Love Me More Than These?'

Concluding his address, Chan cited Jesus' question to Peter as the message's most profound point of reflection: "Do you love Me more than these?" He noted that "these" extends beyond fishing boats and nets to include the ministries, achievements, platforms, and influence pursued by today's churches.

"Do you love Me more than your ministry? Do you love Me more than your service? Do you love Me more than your achievements?" he pressed, reiterating that if a life walking with the Lord does not lead the way, the mission itself loses power.

What the Church Truly Produces Is Disciples

Closing the sermon, Chan posed a thought-provoking question: "A shoe factory produces shoes, and a glass factory produces glass. What should a church produce?" His answer: "What the Church truly produces is disciples."

He added that the pivotal question is not merely whether the Church is making disciples, but what kind of disciples it is producing. "We must form a generation of people who let the 'Mandate precede Mission'—walking with God first before working for God."

Finally, he invited the audience to respond to God's call by repenting and placing spiritual life ahead of ministry service. Looking toward the next 50 years, he exhorted the global Chinese Church to pursue not just larger churches, but a generation of disciples who love Jesus more deeply and follow Him with greater faithfulness.